Alexa skills for kids, teens and the whole family
If you have an Echo device, here are some pretty sweet games to try
“Alexa, entertain my kid with high-quality content.” If you have an Echo device, you know this is a tall order.
Not only is Alexa a finicky listener, but you need to launch specific “skills” to get the device to do what you want. With hundreds of skills in a huge range of categories listed on the Amazon Alexa app or website, it can take some digging to find the good stuff. But if you do dig, you’ll be rewarded with some pretty sweet games and activities, including storytelling, exercise, games to play together and more.
To find the best skills, go to the Amazon Alexa app or the Alexa section of the Amazon website. Start in the Kids section and look for skills with lots of reviews and a high star rating. Also check out the Games, Trivia, & Accessories category or the Education & Reference section.
If you or your kid is really ambitious, you can even create your own skill.
And, of course, before you do any of this, look into the possible privacy concerns of using a smart speaker in the first place.
Check out the educational and entertaining skills we’ve handpicked for your little kid, big kid, tween, or teen or for the whole family.
LITTLE KIDS
á Animal Workout. To get little kids moving, this skill tells them to pretend to be a certain animal and do movements to match while music plays. It’s especially great for those rainy or snowy days when kids need to burn off some energy inside. Try it alongside your kid for even more fun. Say, “Alexa, open Animal Workout.”
á Chompers. Ever have trouble getting your kids to brush their teeth (or do it for more than 10 seconds)? This skill will entertain your kids for two minutes by doing things like singing a kid-authored story or telling jokes. Just make sure your kid isn’t so distracted that they stop brushing altogether. Say, “Alexa, start Chompers.”
á Sesame Street. No surprises here: Elmo leads kids through an activity about the letter of the day and plays hide-andseek so kids “find” him through sound cues and multiplechoice options. Say, “Alexa, open Sesame Street.” BIG KIDS
á 1-2-3 Math. With word problems addressing a variety of math skills, this activity requires careful listening. Although the math on the easy level is fairly simple, the medium and hard levels are likely challenging enough for upper elementary school students, especially if applying math skills —or word problems in general —is tricky for them. Say, “Alexa, open 1-2-3 Math.”
á Kids Quiz! Four difficulty levels and a wide variety of subjects make this a fun trivia game for kids. Kids Quiz! offers multiple-choice answers, so kids have a better chance of choosing correctly, even if they don’t know much about certain subjects. Say, “Alexa, play Kids Quiz!”
á Kiwi Monsters! Through a fun story laced with choices, kids get to determine how their monsters evolve. As they choose certain colours, habitats, and food, their monsters’ evolution will shift. Kids have to know about the concept of mating to understand some of the choices. Say, “Alexa, open Kiwi Monsters!”
á Science Kid Radio. Science Kid Radio works like a podcast, offering kid-friendly, sciencebased audio shows. Some of the podcasts include “Wow in the World,” “Tumble,” and “Brains On!” Say, “Alexa, play Science Kid Radio.” TWEENS
á Bolabot Search. If you’ve ever asked Alexa a specific, factbased question and haven’t gotten the info you wanted, this skill might be worth a try. Though it’s in beta and rated Mature by Amazon (because it’s basically an open web search), the phone-free ability to get answers could be a great help when your kid needs to check a quick fact while in the middle of a homework assignment. Say, “Alexa, open Bolabot Search.”
á Curiosity. For each round of facts, kids get two choices of subjects, like space flight or chemistry, to hear information about. Though parents will hear a “mature content” warning before it starts, nothing iffy came through during review. However, the subjects and facts are advanced enough that this one is probably best for tweens. Say, “Alexa, open Curiosity.”
á Song Quiz. Some adults will remember the game show Name That Tune, and this skill has that feel. You can select from several decades of music and then decide whether you’re playing with a friend or a random online player (there’s no actual contact with strangers). Then you listen and name the song and artist if you’re able. Say, “Alexa, open Song Quiz.”
á Travel Quest. Kids get a virtual passport, answer questions and learn facts as they travel via Alexa to different countries. So far, kids can only go to Canada or Japan, with the promise of more countries available soon. Because of its narrative format, this is a fun way for kids to learn about different places and cultures. Say, “Alexa, start Travel Quest.” TEENS
á Daily Routine. If your teen needs reminders about school, chores, activities, or something else they need to do for the day, this skill might help. Teens can set a list of tasks that recur each day. As they work through them, they can have the satisfaction of virtually crossing them off the list. Say, “Alexa, open Daily Routine.”
á Do Good. Name a pressing social issue and Do Good will let you know about the organizations that are working to help. For instance, if your kid is interested in caring for animals, say, “I want to help animals,” and this skill will provide the best places to invest your time, energy, and resources. Say, “Alexa, open Do Good.”